Hjuggu vér með hjörvi.
Hví sé drengr at feigri,
at hann í odda éli
öndurðr látinn verði?
Opt sýtir sá ævi,
er aldrigi nistir
— ilt kveða argan eggja —
örn at sverða leiki.
Hugblauðum kemr hvergi
hjarta sitt at gagni.
Hjuggu vér með hjörvi. Hví sé drengr at feigri, at hann verði látinn öndurðr í éli odda? Sá, er aldrigi nistir örn at leiki sverða, sýtir opt ævi; kveða ilt eggja argan. Hugblauðum kemr hjarta sitt hvergi at gagni.
We hewed with the sword. Why should a fellow be any the more likely to die, because he is placed in the front line in the shower of spear-points [BATTLE]? He who never feeds the eagle in the game of swords [BATTLE] often regrets his life; they say it’s a troublesome business egging on a coward. The heart of a cowardly man is never of any use to him.
[1] Hjuggu vér með hjörvi: abbrev. as ‘H[…]n. h᷎’ 1824b, (?) abbrev. as ‘H[…] (v’) m(’) h(’)’ 147, Hjuggum vér með hjörvi 6ˣ, LR, R693ˣ, abbrev. as ‘H v m h:’ R702ˣ
Pronouns and determiners: First person
sing. | dual | pl. | |
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N A G D | ek mik mín mér | vit okkr okkar okkr | vér oss vár oss |